Curated OER
Trustworthiness
Students practice becoming aware of the behavior that leads to trusting someone else. They answer simple questions that are directed toward being trustworthy. Each student participates in creating a mural of illustrations of examples of...
Curated OER
George Washington Crossing the Delaware: A Study of Setting and Character
Middle schoolers examine "Washington Crossing the Delaware." In this American Revolution lesson, students analyze the painting, research its background, and then perform skits based on their findings.
Ed Galaxy
Postcard Template
Wish you were here! Have kids express their salutations and warm wishes with postcards. The worksheet provides two postcard templates for kids to address, sign, and illustrate.
Teach with Movies
Teaching Students to Write a Narrative
Encourage narrative writing with a clever exercise. Class members watch episodes from movies and describe what happened to a character, including details about the setting, plot, and characters. Writers then craft a narrative about a...
Reed Novel Studies
Of Mice and Men: Novel Study
Why is personification such a popular literary device for many authors? Learners answer the question as they engage in activities from the novel study for the classic Of Mice and Men. They also scan the novel to find examples of the...
Reed Novel Studies
Rules: Novel Study
Have you ever been so focused on others, that a look in the mirror surprises you? It seems that Catherine, a character in Rules, does just that when she focuses so much on her autistic brother's behaviors that she is surprised by her own...
Curated OER
Heritage: 'And Should We Die...' Attributes of the Pio
Eighth graders use comprehension strategies after reading to reflect on, consolidate, and extend meaning. They show various attributes of the pioneers through character sketches.
Curated OER
What's My Job?: comprehension skills
In this comprehension skills instructional activity, 2nd graders read the book What's My Job? and complete comprehension activities. Students complete 5 activities including setting, character traits, summarizing, main idea/details, and...
California Department of Education
Plagiarism is Stealing!
Stop, thief! Do your pupils understand the consequences of plagiarism? Lesson three of six in a series of college and career readiness activities demonstrates the dangers of taking credit for someone else's work. Learners engage in...
Curated OER
A Wanderer's Point of View
Students write an imaginative story using a specific point of view. Students imagine what life along the Mississippi River is like and pretend they are there. Students may use the scenario provided, or create their own for their story.
Curated OER
Shakespeare 2000
Young thespians can try their hand at writing a script and acting out a scene, while gaining a deeper understanding of the universal topics presented in Shakespeare's wide array of plays. Begin the lesson by conducting a compare and...
Curated OER
Historical Heroes and Character Sketches
Learners write a character sketch and present it in first person. In this historical heroes and character sketches activity, students "meet" Harriet Tubman (played by their teacher) and discuss her contributions. Learners read examples...
Curated OER
Say It Like A Character
Middle schoolers read a story and retell it to the class by role-playing one of the characters. In groups, they use the correct facial expressions along with body language and voice to convince the others in their group that they are...
Curated OER
My Caring and Sharing Book
First graders read the book Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister. They consider when they have shared with someone or expressed caring. They write, illustrate and compile a fish book that tells of their caring and sharing experiences.
Roald Dahl
The Twits - Mr Twit Gets a Horrid Shock
Mr. and Mrs. Twit do not treat each other very nicely. The sixth lesson plan in an 11-part unit designed to accompany The Twits by Roald Dahl explores the way the characters talk to and treat one another. Role play and writing activities...
Curated OER
Kindness Counts Book
Students make a book about kindness. In this character lesson plan, students read a story about kindness and discuss how it applies to life. Students complete a kindness counts page and then assemble them into a book. Students can...
Curated OER
Dr. King's Leadership and Character
Focusing on Martin Luther King Jr, this lesson explores the qualities of a leader. First, learners listen to a story about Ruby Bridges. Then, they discuss the life of Martin Luther King Jr. Finally, they discuss the characteristics of...
Curated OER
Follow the Firefly
Students read stories and create a replica of their main character by using "Neon Twistables." They fold several sheets of paper and create several scenes from their book. Students create a booklet, place a title on it, and design an...
Roald Dahl
The Twits - The Furniture Goes Up
Work gets done faster when people work as a team. The ninth installment of an 11-lesson unit designed to accompany The Twits by Roald Dahl combines character education with research skills and creative writing activities. The lesson ends...
Curated OER
Tintin and I: Primary and Secondary Sources
Mickey Mouse, Elmo, and Tintin? Belgian cartoonist Georges (Herge) Remi’s famous comic character launches a study of primary and secondary source material and the impact these sources have on storytelling. Class members also examine the...
Curated OER
Helpful Animals and Compassionate Humans in Folklore
Learners define elements of stories from around the world that include helpful animals. They explore animal character motivations and use graphic organizers to compare and contrast animal stories from different cultures.
Curated OER
Beowulf: Lesson Plan and Supplementary Materials
A reading of Beowulf: Dragon Slayer, Rosemary Sutcliff's retelling of the classic epic poem, launches an exploration of what it means to be a hero, a noble leader, and a great warrior. A great way to introduce middle schoolers to this...
Curated OER
Mosaic Posters
Young scholars participate in group activities to learn about mosaic art and the six Pillars of Character. In this Six Pillars of Character lesson, students study mosaic posters and describe them in terms of character. Young scholars...
K20 LEARN
Motivations In "The Gift Of The Magi": Motivation In Characters
O. Henry's short story, "The Give of the Magi," launches a study of what motivates people to act as they do. Class members identify what they believe are the motivations of the characters in O. Henry's tale and then craft a one-page...